Frameless window screens



Aug. 13,1195? c, R, PARRlsl-l 2,802,525

FRAMELESS WINDOW SCREENS Filed Aug. 5. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 his Attorney Charles R. Parrlsh Aug. 13, 1957 c. R. PARRlsH 2,802,525

FRAMELESS WINDOW SCREENS Filed'Aug. 5, 1952 2 sheets-sheet 2 Inventor:

www 1'/ United States Patent FRANIELESS WINDOW SCREENS Charles Raymond Parrish, West Columbia, S. C., assignor to Loxcreen Company, Inc., Columbia, S. C., a corporationof Georgia Application' August 5, 1952, Serial No. 302,770 7 Claims; (Cl. 160-328) This invention relates to screens and particularly to window screens of the frameless or collapsible type.

In` recentyears the frameless screen, made as a rule ofv flexible screening attached at top and bottom to rigid rails,.but otherwise frameless, hascome into widespread use because of its easy application and storage. In mounting such a screen, it is customary to attach its rigid topand bottom rails to the corresponding parts ofa window frame and depend on tensioning of the screeningto hold its edges tight or flush against the sides of the frame. To obtain such tensioningV resort has been had to adjustable connections between one orboth rails of the screen and the window frame, sometimes coupled with spring pressure.

The main diiculty with the adjustable connections heretofore employed on such screens is that they have required adjustment each time the screen is closedto provide' What seems t'o be th'e proper tautness. Consequently, depending on the operator, the screens mayy either be undertensioned, leaving openings along theirA sides for entry of insects, or overtensioned and it is prac tically impossible to obtain the correct tension everyv time the screen is used; While undertensioninghas a temporary disadvantage', overtensioning is the more objectionable since it may permanently damage the screen by stretching the screening beyond'its limits' or even pulling it" from the rails.

It isy therefore the primary object of theV present invention to provide an improved frameless screen which, While of adjustable tension, is so connected to a` window frame that the tension, once adjusted,` is automatically obtained each time the screen is closed.

Another object of the invention isI to provide animprovedff'rameless screen connectable at av preselected tensi'on to a windowl frame in which the tension adjust-- ingV elle'ir'ien'tA` may be mountedV on either the screen or theVV j window frame.

An additional object of the invention is to provide anV improvedfframeless window screen wherein a connection to a window frame incorporating spring means for' reducing the' strain on the screen, is enabled to be adjusted to preset the tension of the screen at eachclosing;

A further object of the invention is to providean im proved frameless window screen having a connection between screening and bounding rails which in conjunction with an adjustable connection for predetermining: tension of the screen, minimizes possible damage on closing.

Another object of the invention is to provide anf improved frameless window screen which isI of rugged construction, readilyy installed and operated, effectively closes thel window `opening to insects, from indoors, and has an exceptionally long life.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will'` appear hereinafter in the detailed description, bey par- Patented Aug. 13, 1957 Mice ticularly pointed out in the detailed description, and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary front elevational view of a preferred form of the window screen of the present invention, showingA it installed in a window opening.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a modified form of screen and adjustable connection.

Figure 6 is a rear elevational view' ofthe device ofy Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the device of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a. third form of screen and mounting; and

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the screen of.

Figure 8.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like,

reference characters designate like parts, the improved.

frameless, collapsible or rollable screen of the present invention is comprised of flexible screening 1 of wire,

plastic or other meshof suitable size to keep out ilies, mosquitoes or other insects. This screening is bounded of the rails into which the upper and lower ends of the screening are pressed. in the grooves 4 by splines or rods 5 of metal or plastic,

depending on the material of which the screening is.`

made. These' splines are preferably of single thickness intermediate their ends and doubled over at either endu to' give added strength to the free marginal `edges of. the screening. As desired, `the splines 5' may be wedged or held, as by nails 6, in the grooves 4.

While applicable to other types of windows, the? screen. of the' present invention, for illustrative purposes; hastF been applied to a wooden frame'7 of a conventibnal In` such application, thescree'n isdouble-hung window. preferably hung outside the window sash (notv shown)` and suspended or hung! from the upper outer sash, guide orbead molding S. The screen may be simply and ef fec'tively hung from the upper molding 8 by a pair ofl angle' brackets or hangers 9, eachI secured, as by screwing,r t'o the: underface` of the molding toward one end thereof and each disposed so that itsvertical or' depvend-v ing leg 10 is ilush, exteriorly, with the outer face of themolding.

In each of' the depending legs 10 is an aper ture or opening 11 for receiving the hooked or downA Wardly bent end 12v of a hook 13l screwed into the inner face ofthe upper rail 2 above its groove 4. f It' willl be noted from `Figure 2 thatV the corner of the upper rail y between the upper molding 8 and the header 14 of the frame' '7 is rounded, beveled or cut-back. This construction ensures that the rail', when fulcrumed about its hooks 13 on tensioning of the screen, will engage both molding and header, thus providing a double seal atthe i top of the screen; i

Onc'e the screen ishung :from the brackets 9, it is drawn taut to seal. the top andv sides of the Window open* ingg. the top in the. manner just described and the sides by engagement of the unreinforced edgesy cr sides 15 ofY the screening 1l with the outer faces of the outer Side This screening may be locked moldings or sash guides 16. Such tautening or tensioning is here obtained lby an adjustable tensioning device anchored to the window sill 17. One or more devices may be used, depending on the size of the screen, b ut @two will normally'sufrice, one substantially -aligned vertically with 4each of the brackets '9. The tensioning device is -a principal feature yof thisinvention and three forms of it are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, yone in each of Figures l, 5 and 8. Y

Referring first to the embodiment of Figure l, the tensioning device there shown, designated generally a-s 18, is comprised of an anchor, catch, connecting or securing member or element in the form of an eye or T screw 19, T-headed by atransveise elongation of its eye 20. This 'anchor screw 19 is screwed vertically into the sill 17, with its eye or T-head adjustably Ispaced thereabove a distance determined by the number of turns taken on the screw.

` The screen is latched or locked to each of the anchor screws by a latch or latching or locking member 21, carried by the lower rail 3 and mounted on or secured to its inner face. Forming the body portion or body 22 of the latch. is a base plate disposed vertically, transversely of the rail, and securedadjacent its upper end,V

to the rail, as by a screw 23. The body 22 terminates yat itsupper end in an integraltiange, lip -or detent 24 which projects substantially horizontally inwardly from the rail, normal to the body. This detent is round or tapered-nose and necked intermediate its ends to provide a notch 25 on either side for receiving or seating the legs 26 Vof a `U-shaped Vspring wire lever, clip or clamp 27.

The lever 27 is designed to serve as the actuating and locking element of the tensioning device. To Vthis end, its arms or legs 26 are spread adjacent its closed upper end 2'8 to form `a handle within which is included Ian elongated opening 29 of suflicient area to encompass or slip over the head 20 :of the anchor screw 19. Straight over the area of the d-etent 24, the legs 26 are again outturned ladjacent their lower or ropen ends for journaling or pivotally attaching the lever 27 to the lbody 22 through a pair of ears, yor wings 30, apertured for this purpose.

Integral with and projecting inwardly from a lowerV portion of the body, Ithe ears 30 are vertically disposed and spaced from each other horizontally suieiently to straddle or receive therebetween the shank 31 of the anchor 'screw 19 but not its head 20. Instead, the head 20 is designed to slide yor ride on and be camrned by the upper edges 32 of the ears, the edges or cam surfaces or shoulders 26 for -this reason preferably being arcuately convex and curving downwardly beyond the apertures 33 in which the lever 27 pivots.

To operate the tensioning device, the head 20 of the anchor screw is slipped through'the opening 29 in the handle 28 of the lever 27. The lower rail 3 of the screw is then pulled in by the handle until the head 20 reaches the cam surfaces 32 of the ears 30, to which it is guided between the legs 26. The lever is then swung up to 'engage the inner face of the head and force the latter to ride lup the cam surfaces. Toward the upper limit of the swing of the leverV to substantially vertical position, its legs 26 are sprung to pass yover the outer end yof the detent 24, finally springing into the notches 25 to lock the 'screen in place.

Adjustment of the tension `of the screen will usually be necessary when the screen is first mounted. This is then readily accomplished by turning the anchor screw 19 in or out until it is at the proper position perpendicularly of or normal` to the sill to provide the desired tension when the screen is locked in place. Thereafter, no 4further adjustment will normally be necessary 4and the screen will be placed under the same correct tension each time it is closed vby snapping the lever 27 over the anchor screw 19 to locked position.

It will be noted that considerable clearance has been CII left between lthe lower rail 3 and the window sill 17. Such `clearance is required to -aiord a sufficient range of adjustment of the tensioning device but leaves an opening below the -rail which must be closed. This is readily accomplished by a sealing plate 34, preferably in the form of an `angle iron,.the upper or upstanding leg 35 of which is floatingly clamped between the inner face of the lower rail 3 and the inwardly offset lower portion of the body 22 of the latching member 21, the lbody preferably being madeof resilient material `for this purpose. The lower or horizontally directed leg 36 of the plate is designed to rest lon the sill 17. The plate thus provides simple means 'for sealing the lower edgek of the Window opening for any adjustmentof the tensioning device.

While shown applied to a screen having a metal lower rail 37 to which the screening 1 is clamped through a bar 3V held in a doubled-back upper end portion 39 of the rail, the tensioning device of the embodiment of Figures 5-7 is in most respects the same as tha-t of the first embodiment. Thus, it also utilizes a T-headed an- Y chor screw 38 :for adjustment `of tension `but with an hold the latter. in locked position.

VX-bar hea-d 39 instead of an eye.

And, as inthe iirst embodiment, the latching member inclu-des the same rspring lever 27, pivoted between camming ears 30, and is secured to the Vlower rail 3. The difference is primarily in the upper part of the latching member. Here, the body portion or base plate 40, made also of 1a strip of `spring metal yor like lresilient material, is looped =or doubled inwardly -between the -ears 30 Land lsecuring bolt 41 to form a transverse expansion loop 42. This enables the base plate 40 to elongate or expand longitudinally under tension. It thus provides a yieldable or resilient connection between the screen and the sill V17, which `reduces the stresses Ion `the screening without aecting the prese'ttability or predetermined -adju-stability of the tension applied to the screen on closing. The loop 42 also renders a separate detent unnecessary, a rounded nose 43 and vertically aligned notches 44 in either side serving to receive and seat the legs 26 of the lever 27 and If desired, a prong 45 may lbe formed at the upper end -of the ibase plate 40, which may be driven `or slid into the lower rail k3 to reduce the shear stresses on the bolt 41,

The embodiment of Figures 8 and 9, anchors the screening 1 in wooden rails 2 and 3, as in the first embodiment, Iand its tensioning device also applies preset or predetermined tension or tautness to the screen. However, the structural details of the tensioning ldevice are Iconsiderably different.V This device is comprised essentially Iof a catch member or bracket 46 secured to the window sill 17 and a latch member carried by the lower rail 3 and having a Ispring lever 47 engageable 'and interlockable with the catch member, with an adjusting element 48 for varying the unlocked, free or untensionedthe sill 17. Upstanding centrally from the outer edgeof the base is a central tongue 50 designed primarily to oatingly clamp the sealing plate 34 to the lower rail 3. At the sides of the tongue 50 and spaced inwardly therefrom relative to the sill.17 are a pair of spaced upstanding lingers or catch elements 51 having their upper portions curved or bent downwardly and inwardly to form hooks by the concave shoulders 52. v

The latch member of the tensioning device is carried on the lower rail 3 and is attached to theinner face thereof .by an eye screw 53, Horizontally disposed, the eye 54 of the screw 53 serves as a platform vor seat for an adjusting nut 55 which threadedly engages the stem 56 of an eye bolt 57. The eye 58 of this boltfin turn supports a lever or clamp 59 for engaging and interlocking with the hooks 52 of the catch or anchor bracket. The lever 47, formed of a spring or wire rod, has a substantially central saddle or reverse bend 59, for intertitting with and positioning the lever longitudinally relative to the eye 58 of the supporting bolt 57. 0n either side of the saddle the lever branches or spreads outwardly as a pair of outspread arms or wings 60. These arms are preferably axially aligned adjacent the saddle and upturned toward their outer ends, one of the arms terminating in a loop 61 forming the handle of the lever.

In locking the tensioning device of this last embodiment, the lever 59 is grasped by its handle 62 and the far arm 60 is swung into the corresponding hook 52 of the catch 46. Using this hook as a fulcrum, the other arm of the lever is then pressed or forced under the other of the hooks 52, thereby locking the screen in place. The tension applied by the tensioning device is preset or predetermined by the setting of the adjusting nut 5S, and, as in the embodiment of Figures 5-7, the stresses on the screening 1 are reduced by the resiliency or yieldability of the arms 60 of the lever 47.

From the above detailed description it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved collapsible window screen which may be applied to any window opening, effectively seals that opening against insects and the like and, due to the presettability of its tensioning device, is enabled to apply uniform tension to the screen on each closing, thereby greatly prolonging the life of the screen. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included which do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a frameless window screen having spaced rails connected by screening, the combination of a bracket secured to a side of a window frame and having a portion projecting substantially liush with an outer face of said side into a window opening defined thereby, a hook on one of said rails and engageable with said projecting portion of the bracket, a cut-back edge on said one rail beyond said hook, and angularly disposed surfaces on said one rail contiguous to said edge, said one rail on tensioning of said screen rocking about said bracket on said hook for engaging said contiguous surfaces with confronting surfaces of said frame.

2. In a frameless window screen having a rail on one side thereof, a tensioning device for locking said screen to a sill of a window frame comprising a vertically directed screw mounted on said sill and having an elongated head, a latch on said rail and including a lever, and a pair of spaced cam surfaces on said latch, said lever on locking of the device engaging and camming said head on said cam surfaces to locked position.

3. In a frameless window screen having a rail on one side thereof, a tensioning device for locking said screen to a sill of a window frame, comprising a screw on said sill and having an elongated head, a latch on said rail, transversely spaced cams on said latch, a lever on said latch and pivoted between said cams, and means on said latch for locking said lever in locked position, said lever on locking, engaging said head and cooperating with said cams for camming said head to locked position.

4. In a frameless window screen having a rail on one side thereof, a tensioning device for locking said screen to a sill of a window frame, comprising a screw on said sill and having a transversely elongated head, a latch on said rail, said latch having a longitudinally extendable body portion, transversely spaced ears on said body portion adjacent a lower extremity thereof, a lever pivoted between said ears, and a detent on said body portion above said ears for locking said lever in locked position, said lever on locking of said device engaging and forcing said head onto said ears.

5. 1n a frameless window screen having a rail on one side thereof, a tensioning device for locking said screen to a sill of a window frame, comprising a headed anchor member on and adjustable vertically of said sill, a latch member having a pair of transversely spaced ears for straddling said anchor member, cam surfaces on said ears and engageable with the head of said anchor member, a U-shaped lever connected to said latch member and pivoted between said ears, said lever having an enlarged head portion passable over said head of said anchor member, and means on said latch member for locking said lever in locked position, said anchor member on insertion of the head thereof through said lever being cammable thereby on said cam surfaces to locked position.

6. In a frameless window screen having a rail member on one side thereof, a tensioning device for locking said screen to a side member of a window frame, comprising catch means on one of said members, and latch means on said other member and including cam means and pivoted lever means, said lever means being engageable with said catch means and operable on engagement therewith to move said catch means into engagement with and along said cam means and pull said rail member inwardly and perpendicularly of said frame member toward said catch means.

7. In a frameless window screen having a rail member on one side thereof, a tensioning device for locking said screen to a sill member of a window frame, comprising catch means on one of said members, and latch means on the other of said members and including cam means attached to said other member and lever means pivotally connected to said cam means, said lever means being engageable with said catch means and operable on engagement therewith to move said catch means into engagement with and along said cam means to locked position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 757,688 Stout Apr. 19, 1904 948,433 Schofield Feb. 8, 1910 1,025,244 Chamberlin lMay 7, 1912 1,705,132 Norquist Mar. 12, 1929 1,972,539 Simpson Sept. 4, 1934 2,021,068 Kammerer Nov. 12, 1935 2,251,415 ODonnell Aug. 5 1941 2,303,301 Milnor Nov. 24, 1942 2,519,934 Sears Aug. 22, 1950 2,547,302 Blaser Apr. 3, 1951 2,605,828 Lang Aug. 5, 1952 2,625,995 Rust et al. Jan. 20, 1953 2,693,851 McCubbin Nov. 9, 1954 

